Journalism:  Dying, Dead Or Evolving

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Audley Phillip

Journalism:  Dying, Dead Or Evolving

by Audley Phillip

As an Antiguan, I have long admired the art of journalism, though I never really saw it as an attractive career.

I used to look forward to buying the Antigua Workers Voice, the Outlet and the Observer Newspaper and whether it was lying down on my sofa, in bed or on the toilet, reading the newspaper was  a daily staple.

I was always fascinated  and intrigued by the “Fan The Flame” column in the Outlet Newspaper as the late Tim Hector was a master at captivating his readership with his insightful columns.

Today, many people think that journalism is dying.  The field has certainly not grown nor does it have the influence it did in those days when newspapers were the biggest source of news.  But journalism has evolved.

The vast majority of people today get their news from digital sources.  Social Media has taken over with Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok and You Tube  leading the pack today.

With the advent of technology, newsrooms have become smaller.  Reporters and writers can now work from anywhere and anytime.

It  allows reporters and writers to do more meaningful investigatory work, talking to sources and following leads.  But this  really seldom happens.  .

As newspapers close, more and more people have become dependent on social media news forums to get their news.

Sadly, people have little faith in state news which is often skewed and twisted to promote one side only.  State media is entwined in a vicious circle of manipulation, mythmaking, and self-interest.  They create a charade that serves their own interests but misleads the public. .

The world is more connected than ever before and it will become even more so in the future.  Though the newspapers as we knew them have all gone, journalism is not going away.  It should not lose respect because it is evolving..

Without new media companies such as Antigua News Room  and a few others,  where would we be today?

 

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7 COMMENTS

  1. Investigative journalism, the kind that uncovered the story behind the reported or unreported news is dead. The late great Tim Hector was the last of such investigative reporter and The Outlet Newspaper stands alone, incomparable up to this day.

  2. New media is fine, but lots of media, not just state media, is biased in many countries. (ANR is not too bad.) It’s hard to find t.v. or radio news that is independent and not overly sensational that the whole family can listen to daily or nightly. This is detrimental to the ability of children to understand the world happenings around them.

  3. Yes Audley, there was a time when you could trust what you read in the main stream media, but not anymore.

    With the onset of more trustworthy social media outlets, many people around the world no longer rely (or believe) what the likes of the BBC, CNN, ABC and the like have compromised their independence and integrity for the Bill Gates Foundation and the pharmaceutical dollar (especially Pfizer).

    The outlets that millions of critical thinkers like myself have now turned to are the likes of:

    Trial Site News; Dr. John Campell; Kim Iversen; The Jimmy Dore Show; Russell Brand; Democracy Now; Gresham College (lectures): Redacted; Medicine with Dr Moran; Thomas Sowell Teachings; Wion; Richard Vobes; Facts Matters with Roman Balmalkov and many other independent thinking media outlets.

    As we speak, the pharmaceuticals, governments and the scientific world are doing their utmost to silence the above unrestrained, unrestricted, unfettered and independently minded social media outlets.

    UNFORTUNATELY, THAT HORSE HAS ALREADY BOLTED …🐎

    Another outstanding observation Mr Phillips sir 👍

  4. Journalism now is mainly confined to reporting what others think or say about an issue.
    Some journalists are lazy and find it much easier and less taxing to simply report what the instruments in their hands or they are sitting before, say.

    Investigative journalism has almost disappeared. There are valid arguments why this is so, e.g., personal safety to journalists, fear of litigation, etc, but it appears that it is easier to just regurgitate what social media or the tabloids say.

    Here in Antigua there is little to no investigative journalism. Apart from it being a case of laziness, it is also a case of not stepping on toes that could cut short one’s career, or even cause personal danger. All the daily media sometimes even report the news without stating their source, to the point where government’s policies are sanctified without citing from whom the information came. One media house sometimes even reports on a sporting activity without once saying what the sport is.
    Another issue is the filling up of the paper with pictures of an event, any event, to fill the void of the lack of descriptive information. Many times the names of those featured in the pictures are not given. One daily radio newscast has become very predictable. Their introduction to the newscast is very long, their report is two pieces of local news (not investigative) and all other items are regional and international news verbatim from those media houses.

    Yet another issue is you do not get the sense that journalists listen to and read the work of other accomplished journalists. Doing this helps with the pronunciation of the names of major world characters and places. Simple names of very popular places and people are misspelt and mispronounced.

    Sometimes it does not appear that some journalists have even seen or rehearsed the script before attempting to read the contents on air.
    Our journalists must also propose corrections to poor spelling and poor pronunciation.

    Letting a notable local figure read an ad that deals with VIOLENCE who repeatedly call the word VOYL-ENCE, and not correct that, also puts the credibility of the media house into question.

    There must me training for journalists and this starts with having a working knowledge of the English language, having a sense of curiosity in people, places and things, and not just take it as a job or a chance to look good on TV or roll up your tongue on radio.

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